THE DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE

CHAPTER3.2KISS

George never had a happy childhood, and familial relations were an ancient topic. He'd thought he didn't need emotional connections, as he had never experienced any. He’d seen so many deaths that life and death didn’t make a difference to him. Cutting himself off from worldly relations gave him more freedom. He didn't have to please them anymore.

They had turned him into a perfect heir, a tough, cold-hearted killer, which was exactly what his family believed to be a quality needed to be an heir to the throne. But when Sam came along, he felt alive, and a seed of love was planted in his heart that had never known to beat for anyone.

George had been there since the morning hours when the sun shone brightly under the umbrella tree. He counseled training. He said he needed time for himself. But it was an excuse to dismiss his guards, who knew everything, but remained silent to let him keep his secret. He stood under the tree. His eyes darted from left and right, picturing everything in place. He wanted everything to be perfect when Sam arrived.

He didn’t want anyone asking questions, so he did all the decorations himself. Very simple but elegant. He cleared long grass and reeds, then aligned all of Sam’s favorite snacks on the picnic mat. He also prepared lilac flowers and purple balloons, all in Sam’s favorite color. He had picked out everything himself. He wanted to say goodbye in style, create a beautiful memory.

George waited in anticipation for Sam's arrival. It was a cool summer's afternoon, one of those days that almost makes one believe in happy endings. He wanted to tell Sam his identity and also find a way to communicate with him, as the foreign visit had come to an end, and George had to leave right away for his kingdom. A foreign guest, especially one holding so much power, was not allowed to stay longer than the invited time.

Sam, jovial as usual and elated to meet up with George, arrived early. He was whistling happily as he made his way towards the lake. He arrived just in time, and everything was in order.

''Surprise.'' George bellowed, walking towards him. He gently hugged Sam, bathing in his warmth. Close contact with Sam no longer felt awkward. It was something they did every day.

''Wow,'' Sam exclaimed, his eyes widening at the sight. He was quite surprised when he saw what George had prepared.

''Are we celebrating? Is it your birthday? I am sure it is not mine,'' he stated, looking up cutely while his finger gently tapped his lips. Sam stood there for a moment and tried to remember; maybe he had forgotten something important, but nothing came up.

George smiled at how silly he looked, took his hands, and led him to the picnic mat. They both sat down facing each other.

''I am sorry, I really can’t remember, are we celebrating something?'' Sam asked, smiling cutely, his ocean-blue eyes shining with adoration.

George gazed into his eyes, feeling a pinch of guilt as he whispered, his voice barely audible.'' Nope, it’s just a picnic and I will be leaving the country tomorrow and…....'' he said, hesitantly. He felt his shoulders relax and a huge load off his chest, clearly not prepared for Sam's outraged outburst.

''Are you leaving?'' Sam asked out loud, not letting him finish the sentence.'' When are you leaving?'' He asked it out, so blandly, trying to numb himself from feeling the pain. Sam was still processing the information he had heard. He needed just a little more processing, and it all came boiling out.

George took a deep breath, then stated gently ''Tomorrow.''

Before he could even add more, George saw Sam’s reaction and raised his eyebrows questionably.

''Tomorrow," Sam repeated loudly, like a foreign word he didn't understand. "You are leaving. You can’t leave?'' Sam repeated to himself, petrified, trembling with emotions.'' Not yet.'' Everything was now registering in his mind; he couldn't keep George for himself.

He stood up, countless emotions written on his face. George hadn't expected Sam to take the news so upsetting and hence he hadn't sugar-coated it. When George realized his mistake, it was too late, as Sam was fuming. He’d forgotten that Sam was too sensitive and young to understand his reasons for leaving. The sudden news of his departure frightened Sam. He’d suddenly felt annoyed and angry at the same time. George looked at him, scared, as he did not know how to comfort him, to assure him that it was okay.

Sam stood up and started walking away, confused. His emotions were running wild, and he could not find the words to reply. George stood up and held him back. ''Wait, don't leave,'' George uttered, then got shocked at his voice as it sounded like a stranger, pleading.

He was speechless. Gazing into Sam’s teary eyes, he could feel the weight of his sadness. He couldn’t find the right words to express himself. Suddenly, he got an idea, something he had always wanted to do, and his eyes were drawn to Sam’s lips. Then he gazed into his starlit eyes. He gently took his hands, brought him closer, and held him in his embrace, building tension between them. He kissed him lightly on the lips. The kiss was very light and sweet, and it calmed Sam to calm down. But then he got all worked up. He subconsciously licked his lips, moistening them. Gazing back into George's eyes, his curiosity was written all over his face. He wanted more.

The feeling was new, but it felt so right that Sam pulled George in for more, and George held him tightly in his embrace.

Their lips met, and they both closed their eyes, lost at the moment. The kiss was light, luscious, and very pure, submissive but also dominant. So young, but the emotion felt ancient and very heavenly, like finding lost parts of your soul, putting them back together, and becoming complete.

Sam had felt it, the truth he didn’t want to share with anyone yet. He was too young. Maybe there was some other truth to what he was feeling. He tried to convince himself. He turned around and ran off, not looking back, his heart was beating so loudly. He was afraid George could hear it, as it beat loud enough for the whole world to hear, or so he imagined. He had turned and left without a word. He didn’t dare to look into George's eyes. His nerves and senses were so hyped. He couldn’t face the truth; he was indeed in love with a man.

Sam’s tomato-red, shy face would have been a beautiful sight if George were confident enough to hold him back. If only he had, so many years wouldn’t have been wasted.

George stayed behind, watching the path Sam had taken till late evening. He waited patiently for Sam to come back. He’d even hallucinated a few times about Sam walking back to him. The sun sank before him in crimson and lilac streaks on the distant horizon. He felt he was losing a part of himself that he loved. The feeling was so painful. He didn’t want to feel like that again. Maybe Sam deserved better than him. And the high walls he had built around his heart came back up, more strongly. His love was like a painful sickness that he needed to cure. He walked back to his living quarters, packed his luggage, and left for the airport. He couldn’t wait until the next day to feel more rejection.

He thought Sam felt different about the kiss. He felt a stabbing pain at every step Sam took, as the distance between them grew with each passing second, so did the pain, but he was a soldier and knew how to block it all out. He took a flight out of the country that night with no intention of looking back. He had to protect Sam from himself. George felt he had forced his yearning desires onto Sam. He felt wrong, and his heart was heavier. The unfamiliar stabbing pain in his heart was unbearable.

The following day, exactly when the sun was at its highest, Sam went to their meeting place. Not aware that his simple action of walking away shyly had changed everything drastically. He was excited and ready to pursue their friendship, which seemed to have improved overnight to another level. He had thought throughout the night, and his answer was ready.

He hoped George would meet him before his departure, but George never appeared. Sam waited the whole afternoon, then late afternoon until late evening, gazing into the far distance, imagining George would appear at any minute. Just a small vacation, a flirt, a hug, a laugh here and there had turned into something that changed his whole being. They didn’t know then, but they had built something beautiful, a strong foundation that would last them a lifetime.